Letters: Earl of Oxford to King James; January 30, 1604.

Essex Record Office MS D/DMh C1; Oxford to King James; 30 January 1604. [Click here for modernized spelling.]

Seinge yt yt hathe pleasede yowre Magestye of yowre moste gratious inclinatione to Iustice & ryght to restore me to be keper of yowre game aswell in yowre forest of Waltham, as also in Haueringe parke. I can doo no lesse in dwtye and love to yowre Magestye, but imploye my selfe in the executione therof. And to the end yow myght the better knowe in what sorte boothe the forreste, & the parke have ben abused, and yet continued, as well in distroyinge of the Dere, as in spoylinge of yowre demesne woode, by suche as haue pattents, & had lycences hertofore for fellinge of Tymbre in the Quiens tyme latlye deceasede, præsuminge therby that they may doo what they lyste. I was bowlde to sende vnto yowre Magestye a man skilfull, lerned & experiencede in foreste

causes, who beinge a dweller and ey wytnes therof myght informe yowe of the truthe. And because yowre M^tye, vpon a bare infomatione, cowlde not be so well satisfyde of every particular, as by laufull testemonye & examinatione of credible wytnes vpon othe, accordinge to yowre Magestyes appoyntmente, by Commissione a course hathe bene taken, In whiche yowre Magestye shalbe fully satisfysde of ye truthe. This Commissione together w{i}th the depositiones of the witnes I doo sende to yowre M^tye by y^s bearer, whoo brieflye can informe yow of the whoole contence. So y^t now, hauinge laufullye provede vnto yowre Magestye y^t S^r Ihon Graye hathe kylled and destroyede yowre Dere in Haveringe parke wythoute any warrante for the same, hys patent ys voyde in lawe, & therfore I moste humblye beseche yowre Magestye to make hym an example for all others that shall in leke sort abuse there places & to restore me to the posessione therofe, in boothe whiche yowre M{aies}tye shall doo but Iustice and ryght to the one & other. this 30 of Ianuarie 1603.

Yowre Magestyes

most

humble

Subiect and

Servant

E Oxenforde

 

Addressed (in Oxford’s hand): for hys moste exellente Magestye.

 

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